A Warrior's Pain II: Hiding Away
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Leo feels that he failed after the last battle with Shredder. Can his family and friends help him snap out of it. Sequel to A Warrior's Pain.
1. Chapter 1

A Warrior's Pain II: Hiding Away

Chapter 1: Failure

A/N: Hey, my fellow TMNT fans, I'm back. Did you miss me? I missed you. Well, I decided to post my sequel to "A Warrior's Pain" because I wanted to do a good story. I really hope you enjoy it. This story will talk about Leo's angsty mood from season four of the new show, or what I interpret it to be. And before I give a summary and disclaimer, I want you to say a prayer for the Irwin family. As you know, Steve Irwin died on Monday when he was tragically killed by a sting ray. My prayers go out to Terri, Bindi, Bob Sr., and Bob Jr. Steve will be truly missed. And now, onto my story.

Summary: Leo feels that he failed after the final battle with Shredder. Can his family and friends help him see the truth?

Disclaimer: I don't own the Turtles. If I did, The Ninja Tribunal season would be on now, Fast Forward would truly be season six, and I would create more episodes that center around my favorite Turtle, Leo. Turtles are owned by Eastman and Laird. All flames will be sliced and diced by Leo's swords.

Leonardo stared out the window at the night sky, which was packed with stars. He hated that. Why couldn't the sky be cloudy and rainy instead of being clear with shimmering stars? He and his family had just gone through hell, and he certainly didn't feel happy right now.

They had just had their last battle with Shredder, and it hadn't gone well. They'd almost died because it was the only way to stop Shredder from harming the Utroms. But then Mortu and the other Utroms had come to the rescue, preventing any deaths. Now Shredder was on an icy planet, but it had cost Leo and his family, too. All of them were wounded, including Splinter.

Leonardo looked at his brothers and sensei. It was painful that they were hurt like this. Raphael was on the couch nursing broken ribs, Michelangelo had broken his kneecaps, and Donatello had a broken right arm. Splinter had been burned after he saved Mikey from getting electrocuted. Leo himself had been badly injured with many wounds, including a cut on his plastron where Karai had stabbed him.

His eyes darkened in anger as he thought about Shredder's daughter. He'd thought she was different, that she had honor. Boy, was he wrong about that! She was just like her father and had proven that when Leo's own katana had been stabbed into him by her. She didn't even have a look of shock on her face when it happened. Sure, Shredder's foot had kicked his shell, sending him toward her, but she could have moved out of the way. Yet, she hadn't. Now she and Dr. Chaplin were in jail.

After the trial, the Turtles had gone back home. Casey Jones, one of their good friends, suggested they go to the farm to heal up. They had agreed, but the journey hadn't been easy. The bumps in the road had caused them pain, and Mikey wouldn't stop moaning about his hurt knees. Still, they made it to the farm in one piece.

And yet, even with Shredder gone, they couldn't get any peace. This was demonstrated as Casey's cousin Sid showed up and demanded money. This was followed by the arrival of some Purple Dragons who wanted money from Sid. It looked like it was going to be a big disaster, but luckily it wasn't. It had been a close call though.

Now Sid was gone. Casey had invited him to stay, but he had declined, claiming that he was staying at a hotel. Casey accepted this and warned Sid to keep his nose clean. Sid laughed and promised that he would.

Leo turned away from the window and looked at his family again. How helpless they all looked! He was so used to Mikey cracking jokes, Don working in his lab, Raph going out with Casey, and Splinter drinking tea or watching the news. This is my fault, he thought. I did this to them.

The sound of footsteps made them all look up as April O'Neil entered the room. The redhead looked at her friends with sympathy. The only good thing that came out of the battle was that Shredder was gone for good. She just wished her friends hadn't gotten hurt.

"Guys, I brought you some food," she said. "I made grilled cheese sandwiches."

"Thanks, April!" Mikey said cheerfully. "I'm starving!"

April set the tray on the table and started giving them sandwiches. She had even made one for Leo even though he'd said he wasn't hungry. She figured he might change his mind later. She went back downstairs and got the Turtles and Splinter some drinks.

"Thank you, Miss O'Neil," Splinter said graciously. "We are truly in your debt."

"Oh, don't mention it," April said modestly. "It's the least I can do. I'll come up later for your dishes."

"It I wasn't hurtin' right now, I'd say this is the life," Raphael said with a sigh.

"Yeah, but I hate wearing these itchy casts," Mikey complained. He started scratching again, despite April's order not to.

"Mikey, April told you not to scratch," Don reminded him.

"But it itches!" Mikey moaned. "You'd be scratching too if you had casts on your legs."

"Mikey, if I wasn't stuck on this couch, I'd kick your shell right now," Raph threatened.

"My sons, enough!" Splinter chastised. "We should all be resting now. Michelangelo, you should focus your mind on happier things. Think about those comic books you love so much. And, Raphael, I do not want to hear anymore of your threats. We should try to have a good night's rest. We need it after our terrible ordeal."

Then April came back up to check on them. "Don, I prepared the room next door for you and Leo," she said. "I figured this room already has enough occupants. Will that be okay?"

"It's fine, April," said Donatello. "Thanks for everything."

'It's nothing," said April. "I just wish I could do more about your wounds."

"You've done the best you could," reassured Don. "We'll be okay."

April smiled at him. "I know you will," she said. "You guys are tough. See you in the morning."

"Good-night," said the Turtles and Splinter.

As Leo and Don got ready for bed, Don could sense that something was bothering his older brother, but he didn't know what it was. His first thought was to ask Leo about it, but he knew Leo wouldn't say anything unless it was important. That was just the way Leo handled things. Still, it did bother Don that Leo was upset. The Turtle in blue hardly ever got angry about things, and if he did, it was usually when he was fighting with Raph. Donnie decided to let Leo sort this out on his own, but he was ready to help if Leo needed it.

Leo saw the concern in his younger brother's face and braced himself for Don's inquiry about what was wrong. Instead, Don just gave him a gentle smile and wished him good-night. Leo was relieved that the purple-clad Turtle hadn't asked anything because Leo wasn't ready to talk about it.

As Leo drifted off to sleep, he had a terrible nightmare. The dream was about the battle, but the difference was that the Utroms didn't get to them in time and they all perished in the explosion. Leo woke with a cry and hurriedly glanced at Don, afraid that the brainy Turtle would wake up. Don continued to slumber much to Leo's relief.

He got out of bed and went to the window. His heart was thumping madly in his chest. What if this had really happened? What if the Utroms hadn't been able to get to them in time? He wouldn't be in this room with Donnie or his other family members. The thought made him feel a little sick to his stomach. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm himself.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps. He turned to see Splinter enter the room. Leo was a little surprised his sensei was able to make it as he'd had to lean on April to get into the house.

"Sensei, you shouldn't be walking," said Leo in concern. "How did you make it here?"

"I held onto the wall," replied Splinter. "When I heard you cry out, I felt I had to check on you. Is anything wrong, Leonardo?"

Leo wanted to tell his father all about the dream and how he felt he was a failure, but something stopped him. It wasn't that he didn't love his father because Splinter meant the world to him. No, it was the fear that Splinter would agree with him and berate him for being so foolish. Besides, he thought, I'm sixteen years old. I can handle this on my own.

"No, Sensei, nothing's wrong," Leo replied. "It was just a silly dream. I'll be fine."

Splinter could tell his son wasn't being entirely truthful, but he didn't feel like pressing the matter on him tonight. "Very well, my son," he said. "But remember, I am always here if you need to talk."

"Thank you, Master Splinter," Leo said graciously. Then he put his arm around his father and helped him back to his chair. After he made sure the old rat was comfortable, the Turtle in blue headed back to his and Don's room. He went back to the window and looked out again. Tears threatened to spill over as he thought about his sensei's wounds. He hated seeing his father like that. Splinter was a master of ninjitsu and had always been skilled. Nothing ever happened to him.

It's all my fault, Leo thought. I did this to him. I'm not a good son or a great leader. I'm nothing but a failure. And with that last troubling thought, Leo went back to sleep.

A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I'll try to have an update soon. I'm excited to be posting this sequel. I tried working on it this summer, but I encountered major writer's block. Well, now I've had a thought process, so it's getting posted. Please read and review! Oh, and on the official Turtles site they have spoilers for the Ninja Tribunal season. Check it out because they are good. TMNT rules!


	2. 2 A Father's Concern

Chapter 2: A Father's Concern

A/N: Well, I'm back with my second chapter! Sorry it took so long, but I had to study for an Astronomy test. Now, before I thank the ones who reviewed, I have to answer a question that was asked in a review. **Mac **asked me whether "Forever Family" will be finished, and the answer is yes. I just want to work on this story for now, but that other one will be completed. I'm thinking of having two more chapters and ending it there. So, don't worry, I will finish it. And now, I must thank the loyal reviewers who reviewed my story. Thanks to: **Dr.JFACena, Mac, innocent-rebel, Mikey's Kunoichi, Leo'sBaby80, Dr.JNHardy, calliopechild, and shellsboy24. **Thank you so much, you guys. Now, on to the story!

Disclaimer: Do I really have to do this? Okay, I don't own the Turtles. If I did, many fans would be happy because we wouldn't have Fast Forward this season. Turtles are owned by Eastman and Laird.

Splinter sat in the living room, trying to enjoy some alone time. It was so rare he got a moment to have any; his sons were always there to cause some mischief. He was trying to watch some TV, but Peter Griffin's antics weren't making him laugh. He just hoped his sons didn't catch him watching _Family Guy _or he'd never hear the end of it. He switched off the VCR and the TV and tried to clear his mind.

His thoughts turned to the battle they'd had with the Shredder. It had been a horrible battle, and Splinter felt guilty for putting his sons in danger. He was their father, their protector. Why had he put them at risk like that? Because you wanted to avenge your master, a voice in his head told him. You wanted to rid the world of Oroku Saki.

And while Saki had been defeated, they had all become wounded in the battle. It had taken them quite some time to heal from it. But one of his sons had not healed form the battle, and that troubled Splinter the most. He wondered what he had to do to stop it.

Ever since the last battle, Leonardo had become reckless and angrier. Splinter knew his other sons were very concerned about their brother's change in attitude. He recalled the talk the four of them had shared not too long ago.

Leonardo had gone on patrol while the others had stayed at home. Donatello had been working on Michelangelo's hoverboard, Raphael had been lifting weights, and Michelangelo and Splinter had been watching an episode of _South Park. _

Michelangelo stopped laughing at Cartman's police antics when he saw the troubled look on Splinter's face. "Sensei, I can change the channel if you want," he offered.

"You do not have to do that, Michelangelo," said Splinter. "Besides, we are watching a DVD, are we not?"

Mikey laughed. "Oh, yeah," he said. "I can still turn it off though."

"Actually, I would like that," Splinter said. "I would like to talk to you and your other brothers."

"Why doesn't Leo have to be at this meetin'?" Raphael demanded.

"Because I want to talk to the three of you about Leonardo," Splinter replied. "I have tried to meditate on your brother's changed behavior, but I have not gotten any answers. I was wondering if any of you would know what has caused Leonardo's change in attitude and manner."

"Well, when I talked to April the other day, she told me that she tried to get Leo to talk to her about what was wrong with him," Don revealed.

"What did he tell her?" Mikey wanted to know.

"April wouldn't tell me what he said," Don answered. "She told me it was Leo's business and he'd probably tell us when he was ready."

"Sellout," grumbled Raph. "She should have just told you what Leo said. Maybe we could've helped him by now."

"My ears must not be on right," commented Mikey. "I just heard Raph say that he wants to help Leo. You feelin' okay, bro?"

"I'm fine, bonehead," growled Raph. "You'd better just quite while you're ahead, Mikey. I'm not in the mood."

"My sons, enough!" chastised Splinter. "This is a very troubling thing. It is obvious that Leonardo does not want to open up to his family just yet. He is too troubled to talk about what is bothering him."

"But he wasn't too troubled to tell April," pointed out Raph.

"Actually, he didn't tell her the whole thing," said Don. 'He started to talk about it when the Elentian fish people started coming out of the water."

"Guys, I don't think it's that hard to figure out what's buggin' Leo," said Mikey.

"What do you mean, my son?" inquired Splinter.

"Well, I figured this out at the farm," began Mikey. "Raph made a comment about how we should get Karai to stab Leo more often, and Leo nearly freaked. If you ask me, this whole thing's gotta be about Karai and how she betrayed Leo. He's mad because he thought Karai was on the good side. You all know how much he wanted Karai to leave Shredder and join our side. He didn't want to believe that Karai was like Shredder. When she stabbed him, I think it was a wake up call he didn't want to face. I think he's upset that he was wrong about where her loyalties were at."

"Yeah, he's upset because he messed up again," added Raph.

"Wow, Mikey, I never thought you had it in you!" said Don in amazement.

"What do you mean?" asked the orange-clad Turtle.

"I never thought you could be so analytical," said Don in amazement. "I agree with you though. When we met Jhanna I could tell that Leo wasn't himself by the way he tried to attack her when she was down. We all know Leo wouldn't normally do that. I'm thinking that he wasn't seeing Jhanna when he was trying to attack her."

"Say what?" Raph demanded.

"It means that Leonardo clearly had a vision of Karai and thought she was there instead of Jhanna," Splinter replied. "That is why he attacked the robot. He was not himself."

"Can't you talk to him, Sensei?" Don asked.

"I do not want to do so just yet," Splinter said. "I want to see if your brother will open up by himself."

"Well, I hope so, Master Splinter, because if he doesn't, I'll make him open up," Raph threatened. "And I don't think Leo wants me to do that, if you catch my drift."

"Raph, I don't think your method of getting Leo to open up would help," Don commented. "It might just make him worse."

'Yeah, and you could get your shell kicked," Mikey added.

'Your brothers are right, Raphael," Splinter agreed. "I think we will need to give Leonardo some time to sort this out. If this does not work, I will try something else." And they had left it at that.

Splinter's thoughts of that time were interrupted as the Lair door opened. He turned to see Leonardo enter the room alone. "My son, where are your brothers?" he asked worriedly. "Are they alright?"

"They're fine, Sensei," answered Leo gruffly. "I chose to walk home by myself."

Splinter could see and feel the anger emanating from his oldest son, and it frightened him. He thought about speaking to him just then, but it was late at night. Leo had to be tired. He watched as his son made his way into his room and sighed. Leonardo's behavior kept getting more troubling by the day. He remembered the night they had the mystical attack and how Leonardo had spoken to him. He now also realized that his son was pushing his brothers away from him because they were never far apart. He wondered what had caused Leonardo to leave them like that. Clearly, something needed to be done.

The rat heard the door open as his other three sons entered. He noticed the subdued looks on their faces. Then Raphael spoke.

"Sensei, you need to do somethin' quick," he said. "Leo's totally lost it. He yelled at us tonight after we failed to stop the Purple Dragons. I know he had a point, but he's gone nuts. I've never heard him do that before."

"Me neither," added Mikey. "He didn't even yell at me when he was training me to fight Kluh."

"I don't think Leo's gonna tell us anything himself," chimed in Don.

"Do not worry, my sons," reassured Splinter. "I think I may know what to do. Now, run along to bed. Your brother is home and is probably asleep as well."

The Turtles bid Splinter good-night and headed to their rooms. As Splinter watched them go, he thought about the plan that was forming in his head. He felt that Leonardo needed to talk to someone, and Splinter thought that a close friend would be best. He knew of one friend who was very close to Leonardo and decided to call on him to talk to the blue-clad Turtle. Splinter hoped this plan would work, and if it didn't, he would have to talk to his son himself. Splinter went to his room and lit some candles. Then he got some paper and a pen and began to write a letter.

Meanwhile, Leonardo sat on his bed and thought about the events of the day. They had failed yet again! What was wrong with them? This just proved that he definitely was a failure and a bad leader. Of course, it didn't help that his brothers simply wouldn't take this defeat seriously. But the main thing was that he had failed them. What if they had gotten hurt again? He knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if that happened. Leo knew what he had to do. He just had to push harder until he got it right. Then, his family would be safe from all harm. He sighed and settled down to sleep, and that's when he had the same nightmare he'd been having since the battle. It just motivated him more to keep on pushing harder. There would be no failure because it wasn't an option. There was only success.

A/N: Well, that's my chapter. I hope you guys like it. I did the best I could. I don't know when the third chapter will be up yet. I'm kinda stuck on it. I think I'm gonna watch "Samurai Tourist" this weekend to see if that will help me get my thoughts going. I hope so. Please read and try to leave a review. I'll update when I get the chance. I will also be posting a one-shot called "Astronomy Lesson" which might be up tomorrow or Thursday. Check it out, too. See ya!


	3. A Friend's Concern

Chapter 3: A Friend's Concern

A/N: Yay! I'm finally back! Sorry I took so long, but school was keeping me busy. Gotta love college life. I really want to thank you guys for reviewing. It gave me the motivation to continue this chapter, even though I almost gave up on it. Before I thank my reviewers, I want you guys to say a prayer for my former high school classmate Brandon. He is suffering from a viral infection and bleeding ulcers. After surgery, he was doing fine, but he spiked a fever and is now in serious condition. I'll keep you updated once I know more. This has been on my mind since Sunday when I found out. So, please pray for him. I'm really worried right now. And now, I must thank my loyal reviewers. Thanks to: **Mikey's Kunoichi, RedRebel84, Dr.JNHardy, Mac, shellsboy24, innocent-rebel, and Pi90katana. **You guys rock! Thanks a million!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Turtles. If I did: 1) The Turtles would be at home in the present 2) They wouldn't be saying "It's Ninja Time!" every time they fight 3) No Cody Jones 4) No Constable Biggles and 5) No lame villains like Triple Threat. Man, he's lame. Turtles are owned by Eastman and Laird. Usagi and Gen are owned by Stan Sakai. Enjoy the story and no flames!

Miyamoto Usagi looked at the letter Splinter had written. He was very concerned about what the rat had written concerning Leonardo. Usagi knew his friend was in trouble, and he also knew that Leonardo needed his help.

At this moment, Gennosuke came over to see what Usagi was looking at. "Is it a bounty for someone's head?" the rhino asked. "We could make good money if we capture the fiend." He rubbed his hands together greedily.

'No, Gennosuke," Usagi responded. "It is a letter from Splinter-san. He has invited me to come to their home for a tour of their city."

"Excellent!" Gen said. "I believe I will go, too. I have always wanted to see this city of theirs."

Usagi hesitated. He didn't want to take Gen along, but he felt that it would be a good distraction. He only hoped he could talk to Leonardo and get him to open up. "Very well," he said. "We will leave tomorrow."

Leonardo put the blindfold on and listened as the bags swung back and forth. He concentrated on the sound and began the exercise. As he did, he could hear his brothers talking about him. Don't listen to them, he told himself mentally. Focus on what you have to do. Yet, he couldn't help overhearing what they were saying. He heard Raph's anger and Don's worry in their voices. Then he heard Mikey's philosophical speech about how they should leave Leo alone because he was shouldering the responsibility for all of them. Leo was grateful to his little brother for pointing this out, but he didn't think Mikey really understood. They had no idea what he was going through. I'm doing this for you, he thought. I have to protect you from harm. I almost got you guys killed. As he finished this thought, he threw his katana away with a flick of his arm. It struck Raphael's punching bag dead center.

"My bag!" Raph gasped. Then he got mad. "That's it!" he cried, trying to get to Leo, but the others held him back. "You've had it, Psycho Boy. You hear me?"

Apparently, Leo did hear his brother, but chose to ignore him. That's when Splinter appeared and admonished the red-clad Turtle, telling him to calm down because they were receiving guest. Then a portal appeared, bringing with it Miyamoto Usagi.

"Usagi!" Mikey and Donnie cried, rushing over. They were so happy to see the samurai.

Then Gennosuke came out of the portal. The Turtles weren't too thrilled to see him, which was made clear by Raph. Then Gen greeted Casey, who was visiting the guys, by calling him a monkey in Japanese. Casey wasn't too happy with that and decided to leave.

Leonardo was happy to see his friend, but Usagi could tell that something was troubling the Turtle in blue. Still, he decided not to press the issue just yet. Leo asked whether Usagi had used the Battle Nexus to come to the Lair.

"No, Leonardo-san," Usagi answered. "An old friend showed me how to summon the portal to this world." Then he and Gen expressed their eagerness for touring more of New York.

And so, they set out. As the Turtles showed the samurai and the bounty hunter the city, they noticed how surprised the two of them were at certain things. Mikey even offered them a hot dog, but Usagi was still confused as to what the treat was made of. Usagi was amazed at the size of the city, but admitted that he missed the open fields of home. Gen wasn't listening to this speech and didn't even pay attention when Usagi addressed him. He was thinking of something else.

But even amidst Usagi's admiration for the Turtles' world, he noticed that Leonardo didn't accompany them to some of the sights. This troubled the samurai, and he decided that he needed to talk to his friend about what was troubling him.

The next morning, Leo got up early to do some training. He had made this his habit after their final battle with Shredder. He felt that the more he trained, the less likely he would be to fail. But this morning Leonardo wasn't alone as he discovered Usagi sitting in a lotus position.

Leonardo tried to keep the anger out of his expression, but he couldn't help being mad he had no privacy. "Usagi!" he said in surprise. "I didn't think anyone else would be up this early after last night."

"I wanted to speak with you alone, Leonardo-san," Usagi replied. "Your eyes betray you. They show me the oppressive burden you choose to carry."

Leo was surprised his friend was so perceptive. "Someone has to carry it," he responded softly.

Usagi raised an eyebrow (A/N: No, not the People's Eyebrow) skeptically. He didn't believe that Leo needed to carry this burden. The Turtle in blue could see his friend's skepticism and decided to break the awkward silence.

"Up for some sparring?" he asked. Usagi responded by unsheathing his sword.

As they sparred, Leonardo decided to reveal his burden to Usagi. "My family needed me, and I couldn't save them," he explained. "I wasn't good enough."

Usagi felt pained hearing his friend speak like this. "I can understand your pain and anger, Leonardo-san," he said. Then he revealed how his master was cut down right by his side. "It was my duty to protect him," he continued. "I failed, too." His voice was filled with sadness as he recalled that memory.

Leonardo was shocked. Usagi had never talked about his past when they met at the Battle Nexus, or when Leo had been transported to Usagi's world. 'Usagi, I-I'm sorry," he stuttered. "I didn't know."

Usagi smiled at his ninja friend. "Failure. Fear. In the lives we lead, these things are inevitable," he explained. 'How we _deal _with them, _that _is the true test of our character."

"I know," Leo said. "It's just that I—" He was about to reveal what really troubled him when Mikey came barging in from upstairs announcing that Gen was gone.

As they searched the city for the bounty hunter, Leo was worried. What if the humans found him? He heard Usagi ask about how they would find Gen, and Mikey answered that they would just follow the screams. Just then, they heard a woman screaming. The Turtles and the samurai hurried to the source of the noise and found Gen standing outside a shop in some funny clothes with a policeman in front of him, gun drawn.

"Should we intervene?" Usagi asked. Leo vetoed this and ordered Don to call Casey for backup. Don handed the phone to Raph so he could do the honors as Casey was probably asleep and didn't like being woken up so early.

In no time at all, Casey came and coaxed Gen to get on his bike after Mikey and Raph made a diversion for the policeman. Suddenly, as they were about to leave for the Lair, a cloaked figure appeared. He had already thrown some sharp objects at the ladder Raph and Mikey were on, causing them to fall. Luckily, they managed not to fall to their deaths.

'Who are you, stranger?" Usagi demanded.

The figure then removed his cloak to reveal that he was a very large warthog. Leonardo had no idea who this was, but Usagi did.

"Kojima!" he gasped. "It can't be!"

Then Kojima revealed that Usagi, Gen, and Leo were on Lord Hebi's list along with Lord Noriyuki. But before Kojima could do anything, Raph and Mikey leapt up, ready to defend their brother and their friend. This didn't bother Kojima as he took out two smoke bombs.

"Look out!" Usagi cried, but it was too late. Kojima threw the bombs and they exploded, throwing Raph and Mikey back.

'No!" Leo cried. He saw the roof cracking. "Guys, the roof! Move!" he warned, but they couldn't. Raph and Mikey disappeared in a pile of debris.

Leo couldn't believe this. He'd failed them, just as he had on the ship. He watched as Donnie tried to take on Kojima but was thrown against the wall of the roof. Leo was mad! No one attacked his family and got away with it!

"Leonardo, tread carefully," Usagi warned him. "Kojima is a skilled weapons master in my world."

Leonardo didn't care about that. This bastard had attacked his family! "In your world maybe, but not in mine!" he cried. He proceeded to attack the assassin, which led to a heated battle. It was Kojima against Usagi and Leo. The tides turned when Kojima blew a powder in Leo's face.

The powder stung and blinded him. "Usagi, I can't see!" he cried frantically. He tried to rub the powder from his eyes. He had to find his brothers. He had to save them. He couldn't fail. He could hear Usagi battling with Kojima, trying to protect his friend. When Leo regained his sight, he saw Kojima looming over Usagi, ready to finish him off.

Leo spotted one of his swords lying in front of him. A rage like he had never known boiled within him. No one would hurt his friends. "No!" he cried, lunging at Kojima and knocking him down. "YOU LEAVE MY FRIENDS AND MY FAMILY ALONE!" The ninja got ready to attack Kojima and was joined by his brothers and Usagi. Kojima continued to challenge them, claiming he would beat them. He was so absorbed in gloating that he didn't see Leo coming at him to deliver a hurting blow. The assassin fell to the ground, unconscious.

Back at the Lair, Usagi and Gen were getting ready to depart. Gen was boasting that he felt they could get a good bounty on Kojima and that Usagi would probably cut him in.

"I would like to see more of your world," he declared. "I hear there is a city I would like to visit. I think they call it Las Vegas."

"How about in a hundred years?" Don whispered to Raph, who chuckled at the thought.

"Thank you for visiting, Usagi," Leo said. "It's always good to see you."

Usagi put a paw on Leo's shoulder. "Leonardo, you must let go of this burden you carry," he said. "A true Bushido warrior accepts that which he cannot change."

Leo closed his eyes as if in pain. He knew that the samurai was right, but he didn't understand. Leo had failed his family again. He was no good. Today's battle was proof of that.

"I appreciate your concern, Usagi," he said politely, trying to keep the anger from his voice, "but I will decide what I can and cannot change. I wish you a safe journey, my friend." He bowed to Usagi and left for the dojo. Then he heard Splinter thank Usagi for coming, saying that he had hoped Usagi would reach him. Usagi wished Splinter good luck and departed.

Leonardo didn't listen as Mikey wailed the loss of his Silver Sentry comics. He went to the dojo and began to train more. He had to, or else his family would be killed. They just didn't understand him. Even Usagi had no idea what he had gone through. He was so upset with himself. You failed, a voice told him. You're not a good leader. But little did Leo know that his behavior would cause him not to help his family, but to hurt one of the ones he loved the most.

A/N: Well, that's my chapter. The People's Eyebrow is something the Rock used to do. It isn't a wrestling move, but he'd raise one of his eyebrows. It was cool. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please read and review. Sorry for the lack of dialogue, but I wanted to create some depth to this chapter. Hope you liked it. See ya!


	4. Lessons Learned

Chapter 4: Lessons Learned

A/N: Hey, I'm back. Whoo Hoo! Sorry it took so long, but school was keeping me busy. Luckily, I managed to write this chapter and post it. I hope you like it. Now, I would like to thank the reviewers who took the time to leave me some kind responses. Thanks to: **Mikey's Kunoichi, Mac, innocent-rebel, Leo'sBaby80, shellsboy24, and Xtreme Death Falcon Z. **Thank you very much guys! It's because of you that I'm continuing this story. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT. If I did, I'd have The Lost Season in the U.S. right now. Turtles are owned by Eastman and Laird.

Leonardo lay in his bed in the Ancient One's temple and thought about his family. Were they okay? Were they sticking together despite his absence? Were they still upset about what he had done to Splinter? Did they hate him for that? No, he thought. They'd never hate me no matter what. I'm sure they miss me. I miss them and love them. And yet, he felt that they shouldn't love him so much. He had done the one thing he'd never thought he'd do. He had injured his father, the one who meant the most to him. Leo's thoughts drifted back to that terrible day.

It started the day after Usagi and Gen had visited. The Turtles were pretty much doing as they pleased, except for Leonardo. Mikey was reading a comic book, Raph was lifting weights, and Don was spotting him. Leo was in a sparring lesson with Master Splinter.

The rat knew that Usagi's visit had failed in getting Leonardo to open up, so he felt that he needed to ask what was bothering the oldest.

"I keep telling you, Sensei, I'm fine," Leo protested.

"You're sure?" Splinter asked him.

'Nothing's the matter, Sensei," Leo replied. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"So much anger," Splinter commented. Then he compared Leo to an unopened bottle that if it is left closed too long, the cork would burst under the pressure. "You should be more open," he urged. "Your family will help you, Leonardo."

Leo had had enough! Why couldn't his family butt out of his business? "Open?" he snarled. "Okay, this katana lesson stinks!" At these words he disarmed Splinter. "I already mastered this lesson!" he shouted.

Splinter grew angry at this. He picked up the sword and faced his son. "It is not the student's place to say when a lesson has been learned," he said firmly. "It is the student's place to listen and learn!"

Leo grew even angrier at his sensei's words. Why couldn't Splinter see that he'd learned enough? Why did he have to keep learning the same things he'd mastered before?

"I've already mastered this lesson!" he snapped. "And the one before that and the one before that! WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TEACH ME SOMETHING I DON'T ALREADY KNOW?" At this last word, his sword connected with Splinter's forehead, leaving a good-sized cut.

"Master Splinter!" Don gasped.

"Are you okay?" Mikey asked in a concerned voice.

"Leo, what the shell is your problem?" Raph demanded.

Leo's sword clattered to the floor. What had he done? "Master!" he cried. 'Master, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I just—I just lost control." He hung his head in shame.

Donatello tended to Splinter's wound. Luckily, it wasn't too deep to be fatal. Don was just thankful that it had only been Splinter's forehead instead of his heart. What had possessed Leo to do such a thing?

Splinter thanked Donnie and returned to his room. Once there, he thought about his oldest son. Something needed to be done about this. Usagi's visit hadn't helped to make Leonardo open up. And now he had done the unthinkable! He had hurt his father! Splinter knew his son hadn't meant to do it, but it needed to be dealt with. After some meditation Splinter knew what he must do. It would be hard, but the rat knew there was no other way. Splinter sent Raphael to call the blue-clad Turtle to Splinter's quarters.

Leo went to Splinter's room filled with dread. What was Splinter going to do with him? The Turtles were only summoned to Splinter's room if they were in trouble or if he was sick and needed them. Leo knew he had done something terrible, and he knew Splinter hated him. As he looked at his sensei's bandaged head, his heart ached even more. How could he have done such a thing? He was a horrible son, and he knew it.

"Sit down, my son," Splinter ordered sternly. Part of him was angry at what Leonardo had done, and part of him was sad that his son had not healed. Splinter didn't want to do this, but he felt he had no choice.

Leonardo sat across from his sensei, wondering what was going to happen to him. "Master, I—I don't know what to say," he began.

"Say nothing," Splinter commanded. 'Listen. We were all badly wounded in our final battle with the Shredder. We have healed, but you have not."

Leo's eyes filled with tears at Splinter's words. It was true. He hadn't healed as he should have. But his family didn't understand what he was feeling. He'd failed them in battle. He hadn't beaten the Shredder as he should have. He tried to snap out of his thoughts when he heard Splinter speak again.

"I have meditated long and hard on this matter," the rat went on. "And I have decided that you are right. It is time for you to move on. It is time for you to study under a new sensei."

Leo was taken aback. Was Splinter serious? "But, Master, I don't want a new sensei," he protested. "I'm happy here with you. I know there's so much more you can teach me."

Splinter shook his head. "No, my son, it is as it must be," he said decidedly. "Now, there is but one sensei in all the world that I would entrust my son's well being to. He is old and wise. He is called The Ancient One, and he was the sensei to my sensei, Hamato Yoshi. You must make a pilgrimage halfway around the world."

"But, Sensei—" Leo tried to protest again. He didn't want to leave New York. But Splinter cut him off again. "Come, we must prepare for your journey," he said.

After packing a bag with food and other things he would need, Leo went to say good-bye to his brothers. They already knew what was going on, having listened at the door while Splinter and Leo were talking. Leonardo knew that this was the hardest thing of all to do. Would they be able to cope without him? Would they fall apart? He hoped not.

The blue-clad Turtle set off to Michelangelo's room first. Leo had a feeling that this would be the hardest good-bye to make, not counting saying good-bye to Raph. Mikey was the emotional one of the group. He even cried when Klunk got a splinter in his paw. Raph teased him about it, but Leo didn't. He knew how much Mikey loved his cat.

Michelangelo looked up from his Justice Force comic book when Leo came in. He could tell his big brother was upset and sad. Mikey was sad for Leo, too. His brother was leaving and probably wasn't coming back!

"Mikey, can I talk to you?" Leo asked.

"Sure, bro," Mikey replied. "What's on your mind?"

Leo sighed. "Sensei and I have been talking," he began. "You know that what I did today was beyond my control. I truly didn't mean to do it, Mikey. You know that, don't you?" His voice cracked and tears threatened to spill over. He didn't want his brother to think he was a psychopath.

"I know that, bro," Mikey said gently. "That's why I don't understand why you're leaving."

"Sensei feels that it's the right thing to do," Leo replied. "Wait, how do you know I'm leaving?"

Mikey kicked himself mentally. He couldn't believe he'd said that! "Um, me, Don, and Raph were kinda listening in," he confessed.

Leo smiled. "It's okay, Mikey," he said reassuringly. "I would have done the same thing. Look, I don't want to do this, but I can't go against Master Splinter's orders. All I want from you is for you to try to be strong. I know it won't be easy, but I have faith that you can do it. Will you do that for me?"

"I'll try, Leo," Mikey answered. "I just want my big brother back."

These words brought tears to Leo's eyes. He embraced his brother, trying hard to hold the tears back. He wanted to be strong for Mikey's sake, but he wasn't sure if he could be. Mikey was crying without any shame or remorse. He'd miss his brother terribly, and Leo knew that. "I'll be back, Mikey," he said reassuringly. "I promise." He gave Mikey a kiss on the forehead and a gentle squeeze. Then he turned to go to Donnie's lab.

As expected, Donatello was busy typing on the computer. Leo marveled at how fast Don could type. The only one who could type just as fast was April.

Don sensed someone in the doorway and turned to see his big brother standing there. "Hey, Leo, come on in," he offered.

Leo obliged and sat down next to his purple-clad brother. "So, what are you working on, Donnie?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," Don replied. "I was just chatting."

"Oh," Leo said. "Were you talking to April?"

Don didn't answer. Instead, he looked at his older brother and sensed how upset he was. " You okay?" he asked.

"As okay as I'll ever be," Leo responded.

Don nodded in understanding. "If you ever need to talk to me while you're away, just call," he offered. "I'll help you in any way I can."

Leo smiled for the first time since their battle with Shredder. "I thought you were a scientist, not Dr. Phil," he joked.

Don chuckled at that. "Well, I am bald, but I'm not chubby like he is," he joked back. "In all seriousness, Leo, take care of yourself. You know we want the old Leo back."

Leo nodded. "I'll try, Don," he said. "But you have to do one thing for me."

"What's that?" Donnie asked.

"Make Raph and Mikey don't kill each other," Leo answered with a small smile.

Don got up and hugged his blue-clad brother. "I'll do my best, but I can't make any promises," he said. "Just stay safe."

After they parted, Leo headed for Raph's room. He had a feeling that talking to Raphael wasn't going to be easy, but he had to try. He found his red-clad brother reading a wrestling magazine.

"I thought you left," said the red-clad Turtle.

"I wasn't gonna leave without saying good-bye, Raph," replied Leo.

"Well, this wouldn't be happening if you would've just talked," pointed out Raphael. "You can open your mouth to lecture one of us, but you're a clam when it comes to what's buggin' you. What the shell is your problem, bro? Why didn't you talk to one of us?"

"Because you wouldn't understand," answered Leo.

Raph got mad at that. "That's a load of crap!" he retorted. "Do you remember when you got ambushed by the Foot? Remember how upset you were about it? Who got you out of that funk, Leo? I did. So don't say that I wouldn't understand you, bro, 'cause I would understand. Just talk to me."

Leo sighed. "It's too late for that," he said. "Take care of Don and Mikey for me. You know they're gonna need you."

Raph didn't want to let this go, but he knew there was nothing he could do. He hated that. "I'll take care of them, Leo," he promised. "But you need to promise me that once you get back, we'll have a talk about all of this. Promise?"

"I promise, Raph," Leo said. "Maybe it'll be easier then."

Raph walked over and embraced Leo. The blue-clad Turtle was surprised but returned the gesture. He knew that deep down Raph loved him, even if he didn't show it that much. He also knew it would be hard for all of them when he left, but he had faith that they would get through it like they did with everything else.

Leo exited Raph's room and headed downstairs followed by his brothers. He already had all the things he would need for the journey. As he went to the door of the Lair, he turned around and embraced his brothers in a group hug. Then he turned to the door to leave. Before he could, he heard his sensei call to him. Leo turned back to see what Splinter would say to him.

"I am sorry that this had to happen, Leonardo," Splinter said. "I truly wish you did not have to go, but it is for the best." He went over and embraced his son.

"I'm sorry for what I did, Sensei," Leo said. "I love you."

"I love you, too, my son," Splinter replied. "Good luck."

After Leo left his family, he let the tears fall. How could this have happened? What happened today was just proof of how much of a failure he was. He wasn't even good enough to stay with his family.

Leo sighed as he snapped out of these thoughts. He had learned many valuable lessons after coming to see The Ancient One. He had learned that a warrior who attacks in anger is a warrior who never wins (He'd have to teach Raph that one) and also that a warrior who never fails never learns. But the biggest lesson he had learned was that his family would stick by him no matter what. The Turtle smiled as he thought about this. He had received quite a few letters and care packages from his brothers and sensei while he was in Japan. He answered each one and assured them that he would be home soon. He wasn't ready to go home yet because there was more he needed to learn, but he would be home when he was ready to go home. He kissed a picture of his family that he had brought with him and fell asleep.

The next day, The Ancient One and Leo headed out to a bridge to meditate. Things were going great until Leo heard the Ancient One gasp.

"Leonardo, you must go!" he cried.

At first, Leo didn't hear him until The Ancient One said, "Kumquat, you must go home. Bye-bye."

"But, Master, there's so much more you can teach me!" the Turtle protested. (A/N: Sound familiar?)

"Leonardo, your family is in grave danger!" The Ancient One insisted.

"What?!" Leo cried. He then flipped over to where the Ancient One was standing and bowed to him. "I understand," he said softly.

The two of them headed back to the temple where Leo gathered his belongings. The Ancient One walked with him to the ship that would take Leo back to New York. Luckily, they were able to avoid being seen by too many people.

'Thank you, Ancient One, for helping me to see the light," Leo told him. "It was an honor staying with you and learning from you."

"You're welcome, Leonardo," The Ancient One replied. 'You are a strong and skilled warrior. I wish you well. I do hope that your family is safe."

"So do I," Leo said. He bowed to The Ancient One again and got onto the ship. As it sailed away, Leo's thoughts turned again to his family. Were they okay? Was this just a false alarm? He hoped it was just that. If it wasn't, he hoped he wasn't too late to save them.

A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter! I hope you like it. Sorry if it seems rushed. I just wanted to get it done. The title for this chapter was named after a song by Carrie Underwood. She rocks! I don't know when the fifth chapter will be out so bear with me, okay? School tends to keep me busy sometimes. I have some papers I want to get done early so I don't have to worry about them, so I'll be focusing on that. Pleas read and review. No flames will be allowed. See ya!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Come Home Soon

A/N: Hey, everyone, I'm back. I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get an update in, but school has taken its toll on me so I became very busy. Also, I was dealing with the death of my grandmother and typing up my Capstone proposal. That's a big huge paper that I'll need to type in order to graduate. And now, I have to revise that proposal. Ugh! So, I decided that, while I have some time, I'd give you guys an update. I'm working on chapter 6, but I don't know when that will get posted. Maybe it'll get next week, but I'll just have to see what I have to do for my revisions to this proposal. Anyway, I'll do my best to get this story completed. And now, I'd like to thank those who took the time to review this story. Thanks to: **Mac, Mikey's Kunoichi, Leo's Baby80, innocent-rebel, Longing for Leo, Shellsboy24, Xtreme Prince Renaldo, Ashdemon, Tewi, Celica Chick, and SilverKnight180. **It's because of you guys that I'm continuing this. Thanks a million. I hope you love this next chapter. Happy reading!

Raphael woke up to the incessant beeping of his alarm clock. The red-clad Turtle growled and switched it off. He yawned and pushed himself out of his hammock, making his way to the bathroom. Just like every morning, Mikey beat him to it. Raph sighed in frustration and waited for the youngest Turtle to come out. After using the bathroom, Raph made his way downstairs.

He found Splinter sitting in his favorite chair watching "The Today Show." Usually, Leo would watch it with Splinter, but Leo wasn't there. He was in Japan. It made Raph's heart ache to think about it, though he'd never admit it to anyone. If only he could've gotten Leo to open up. Maybe things would've been different.

"Breakfast's ready!" Mikey called. "Come and get it!"

Raph, Don, and Splinter headed into the kitchen where the table was set. They noticed that Mikey had even set a place for Leo. Raph shot Mikey a questioning look. Mikey just shrugged his shoulders.

"I just wanted to keep the table balanced," he explained.

"And it looks perfect, my son," Splinter said approvingly. "Now, let us enjoy this breakfast."

As the meal progressed, the family talked about various things. None of them spoke about Leo because they didn't know what Splinter would say. They had a feeling he was still angry at the oldest Turtle.

After breakfast was over, Splinter ordered his sons to go to the dojo. Once there, Raphael held out hope that he would be excused from practice since Leo wasn't there.

Splinter led them in warm-ups and then got ready to partner them up in sparring. "Donatello, you and Michelangelo will pair up," he said. "Raphael, you will spar with me."

Aw, nuts, Raph thought. He was hoping he would be excused, but no such luck.

"Um, Sensei, with all due respect, you shouldn't be sparring," Donatello said.

"And why is that, Donatello?" Splinter asked the purple-clad Turtle.

"Because you're hurt," Don replied. "You have a head wound, and it could get worse if you exert yourself too much. Plus, if Raph hits that cut, it could get deeper."

"It is only a cut," Splinter responded. "I will be fine. And I feel that Raphael will be careful. Now, let us commence practice."

Sparring didn't go as smoothly as usual because all of the Turtles were thinking about Leo. Splinter was sad for his sons. Maybe I should have cancelled practice, he thought. He could tell that Raphael wasn't focused because Splinter was able to counter strike and almost got a few hits in.

Raphael was getting frustrated. Why did this have to happen? If Leo had been there, he would've chastised Raph after practice, telling him what he did wrong. At least he wouldn't have to hear a lecture from Leo, but he braced himself for a scolding from Splinter.

It didn't come. Instead, Splinter called practice to a halt and told his sons to gather on the mat. The Turtles did as they were told, wondering what was going to happen.

"My sons, I know that all of you are not focused as you usually are," he began. "I understand that you all miss your brother, but life must go on. I am not saying that you should not miss your brother or forget him, but I know that he would want us to do as we normally do."

"Is Leo gonna be gone forever?" Mikey asked him.

"No," Splinter answered. "He will return home when he is ready to return. But you must not let his absence hinder your training. He would want you to do your best and do well. But perhaps if you immerse yourself in other activities, it might help you take your mind off of missing him." With that, he dismissed them, telling them that there would be no evening practice.

Donatello retreated to his lab to work on his latest invention. He truly hoped that working would distract him from missing Leo, but that didn't last long. As Don worked, he thought about the times that Leo would come and observe him working on an invention. Most of the time, Leo would be quiet and just watch, occasionally making a comment on how he thought the invention was good, or how he thought it could be improved in some way. Don valued Leo's feedback and often used it to improve his invention. He began to feel guilty about all that had happened. Maybe if he had just asked Leo what was bothering him, things would be different. Leo would be with them, and Splinter wouldn't have gotten hurt. Maybe if they'd be able to defeat Shredder, Leo wouldn't have had a nervous breakdown. It just wasn't fair! Splinter shouldn't have sent Leo away! He shouldn't have torn them apart. What good did that do? None. All it did was reinforce just how much Leo meant to them. He just wanted Leo to come home soon. That was all that mattered to him.

Michelangelo went to the group of televisions and turned them on. He tried channel surfing but couldn't find anything good on. He turned on his Gamecube and began to play Mario Kart Double Dash. As he did so, his thoughts drifted to Leo. Even though Leo was often the serious brother, he sometimes took time out of training to play with Mikey. When that happened, Leo would loosen up. He'd joke around and laugh at Mikey's jokes, too. That was the time when Mikey felt that he had a bonding moment with his older brother. But after the final battle with the Shredder, things changed. Leo became angrier and stubborn. He trained harder than ever and brooded over what had happened. Mikey had thought that Usagi would've been able to help Leo out, but that hadn't worked. When Leo had injured Splinter, Mikey had gotten scared. If he could do that to Splinter, what could he do to us? Mikey had thought fearfully. It was then that Leo had been sent to Japan. Mikey thought that things would get better, but he missed Leo so much. Come home soon, bro, he thought. We need you.

Raphael sat in his room, lifting weights. However, his mind was on his older brother, not on his weights. Even though Leo had been a pain in the shell after their final battle, Raph still missed him. He could tell that Don and Mikey felt the same way. Raph sighed as he thought about all that Leo had gone through. If only he could've talked to Leo about all of this. Maybe if that had happened, Leo would still be here. Sure, Raph and Leo often butted heads, but Raph was always there when Leo needed him, and Leo was there for him when Raph needed him. Now, Raph felt like he'd failed Leo in some way. He hadn't been there when Leo needed him. Instead of letting Leo brood, Raph should have been more forceful and made Leo talk to him. But he hadn't. He'd let Leo almost fall off of a cliff full of pain. Raphael vowed that when Leo came home, he would talk to him and set things right. All he wanted right now was for Leo to come home soon. They needed him.

Splinter sat in his room trying to clear his mind. But each time he tried to do so, his thoughts would drift to Leonardo. He missed his son so much, but he knew that this was the only way. Leonardo did not want to talk to his family about the burden he carried. He did not even want to talk to one of his best friends about that same burden, so Splinter felt that sending him to the Ancient One would help. Splinter had looked back on this plan and wondered if it was the right thing to do. He was afraid that Leonardo would hate him and never speak to him again. But that was ridiculous! Leonardo would be grateful for Splinter's guidance and thank him for doing what he had to do. He knew that Leonardo was very sorry for what he had done, and he also knew that Leonardo was in good hands. The Ancient One would take care of him and send him back with a clear spirit. Still, Splinter couldn't help aching for his son and wishing that he would return to them soon.

Two months later, things had settled down, but Leonardo had not come home. The family was speculating when he would return when the Lair was suddenly invaded by Karai and her Foot Ninjas. The Hamato family fought bravely, but the numbers were too great. They ended up having to separate to escape the ruined Lair. But as each of them left the remnants of their home, they each thought the same thing.

Leonardo, come home soon.

A/N: Well, another chapter has been finished. I do hope that you like it and that it was okay. I know it seemed rushed, but I wanted to get this chapter up before my life got hectic again. I have one chapter to write and then this story is finished. I will try to have that chapter posted next week after Thanksgiving break, but I can't promise anything what with this dumb Capstone proposal having to be revised. Man, I hate college sometimes. Anyway, you know what to do. Please leave a review because I love feedback. Have a shelltastic Thanksgiving and eat a lot of turkey!


	6. We Are Family

Chapter 6: We Are Family

A/N: Well, this is it. This is the final chapter of A Warrior's Pain II: Hiding Away. I have had a lot of fun writing this story, and I hope you have all enjoyed reading it. Now, I want to give a shout-out to those who reviewed the last chapter. Thanks to: **Mac, PlainSimpleGarak, KatanaChicka80, Mikey's Kunoichi, and Shellsboy24. **You guys are awesome! I hope you like this last chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own the Turtles. I wish I did, but I don't. They are owned by Peter Laird and Mirage Studios, Inc.

Leonardo made his way to the new Lair, thinking about all that had happened. When he had returned from Japan, he had discovered that the Lair had been destroyed and his family was missing. He had questioned the man in the Foot Mech but had gotten no answer. With Angel's help, he managed to get an answer from April, but it wasn't good news. Leo didn't want to believe that his family was gone, so he set out to find them.

He managed to locate his family and led them to safety. Then, he set out to confront the woman who had attacked them. Leo was victorious over Karai, but he didn't finish her off. He still felt that she wasn't like her father. She was just letting her anger get the best of her. But he still warned her to stay away from his family and cut off the statue of Saki's head to make his point. After that, he enlisted Angel's help to get food and supplies for his family.

After finding the right manhole cover, Leo slipped in and made his way to the pumping station. He handed his brothers boxes of Chinese food before presenting Splinter with a carved walking stick he had picked up while in Japan. Splinter thanked his son for the gift before officially welcoming him home.

Raph handed Leo a box of food, which the blue-banded Turtle took gratefully.

"So, what's been going on?" he asked them.

"Not much," said Raphael. "I mean, besides the Foot attackin' us and all. You did get our letters, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did," replied Leo. "I mean, what's been going on with the Foot?"

"I have no idea," said Donatello. "I still don't fathom how they found the Lair."

"Karai probably found out via the Foot Mystics," said Leo. "She knew I was gone and wanted to attack you."

Michelangelo shook his head. "I don't think she knew you were gone, Leo," he said. "When she came barging in, she was surprised to find that you weren't here."

"Why'd you come home?" Raph asked him. "Did the Ancient One kick you out?"

"Not exactly," answered Leo. "He had a vision that you guys were in danger and told me I had to go." He hung his head. "I'm sorry I didn't get here in time."

"Do not blame yourself, Leonardo," said Splinter gently. "You came as fast as you could. There was nothing you could have done."

"I understand, Sensei," said Leo softly. "Hey, Don, I got some first aid supplies. After dinner you can check Master Splinter's wound and treat any other wounds you guys have."

"Thanks, Leo," said Don appreciatively. "I owe you one."

After dinner was eaten, Don immediately checked Splinter's chest wound. The other three Turtles hovered nearby, waiting to see what the verdict was.

"Is he gonna be okay?" asked Leo anxiously.

"The cut isn't real deep," explained Don. "She just missed his heart by a few inches. If she had cut him any further, he would've died. However, he's going to be fine. I'll put some disinfectant and some gauze on it for now."

"Thank you, Donatello," said Splinter graciously. "I am very lucky to have such caring sons. However, I do not want you to fuss over me. I will be fine."

"I know, Sensei, but I'm still gonna check on you in the morning," declared Donnie. "That's what a good doctor does."

"I would expect nothing less from you, Donatello," replied Splinter. "It is in your nature to be so caring. Now, I think we all need to get some rest. We have had a trying day."

"You're telling me," said Raph. "This day was bad."

"Yeah, but something good came out of it, too, Raph," Leo told him. "We have our family and we have a new home."

"I don't wanna go to bed," Mikey whined. "I wanted to explore our new home."

"We can do that tomorrow, Mikey," Leo told him. "Master Splinter is right. We've all had a long day. Let's get some rest and we'll talk about this tomorrow." He handed each of his brothers a sleeping bag, a few blankets, and a pillow. Leo then made sure that Splinter was comfortable as he tucked his sensei in.

"Leonardo, you do not have to do this," Splinter told him. "I will be fine."

"I know, Master, but I want to do this," Leo replied. "Just get some rest. I'll see you in the morning. I love you."

"I love you, too, my son," Splinter said, giving Leo a kiss on the forehead. "Sleep tight."

After tucking Splinter in, Leo went to Don to make sure he was fine. Don wished Leo good-night and settled in to sleep. He was too tired to talk to his older brother. Leo smiled and made his way over to Mikey. The youngest Turtle immediately threw his arms around Leo and began to cry.

"Mikey, what's wrong?" Leo asked him.

"Leo, I thought you weren't coming back," Mikey sobbed. "I had bad dreams where you never came back when we needed you. I don't want you to leave us!"

Leo rubbed his brother's shell. "Mikey, calm down," he soothed. "I'm not gonna leave you again. As much as I loved Japan, there wasn't a day that went by when I didn't miss you guys. You mean more to me than anything else. I'll never run out on you."

"Promise?" Mikey asked timidly.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Leo promised. "Now, get some sleep, Mikey. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay, Leo," Mikey said, snuggling down with Klunk beside him. "Love you."

"Love you, too, goofball," Leo teased. Then he headed to his own spot to set up his sleeping bag. As he did so, he noticed that Raphael hadn't even set up his sleeping bag. He was sitting beside it with his arms clasped over his knees.

Leonardo could tell that there was something on his little brother's mind. He went over to him and put a hand on Raph's shoulder.

"Raph, are you okay?" he asked gently.

"Go away, Leo!" snapped Raph. "I don't want to hear it."

Leo quirked an eyeridge. "Hear what?" he inquired.

"I don't wanna hear a lecture," grumbled Raph. "We all know I screwed up."

"Is this about what happened at the old Lair?" Leo asked him.

"Yeah, I messed up," Raph said. "I almost got them killed."

"You didn't screw up," Leo contradicted. "You did just what I would've done. I'm really proud of you, Raph."

Raph looked skeptical. "You mean it?" he asked. "You're really proud of me?"

"Yeah, I am," replied Leo. "What you did showed me that you can step up to the plate when you need to."

"Leo, I panicked!" protested Raph. "I didn't know what I was doin'. After we all separated, I really felt like I had screwed up. I thought I'd never see Don, Mikey, and Sensei again, and I knew that you'd hate me if I let anything happen to them."

"I wouldn't hate you," said Leo firmly. "I could never hate you. I know how you feel though. I felt the same way when I came home and found the Lair destroyed. When April sent me that note telling me that Karai had destroyed you, I got scared. I didn't want to believe it, but I knew it could've happened. I'm just so glad I found you guys alive."

Raph embraced his brother. "It's good to see you, bro," he said. "I missed you so much, even though I never let it show."

"I missed you, too, Raph," said Leo. "I missed your grumbling and complaining."

"Well, I missed your nagging," countered Raph. Then they parted. "Um, Leo, I wanted to ask you about two things. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, it is," said Leo. "What is it?"

"Why were you so upset before you left?" Raph asked him. "Did it have to do with Karai?"

"Partly, yes," said Leo. "I was upset that she had betrayed me, but I was more upset with myself. I thought I had failed you guys by not coming up with a better plan. I felt that since the only way we could've defeated Shredder was to terminate ourselves, I had failed you."

Raph was shocked. "You didn't fail us, Leo," he said. "We all agreed to do it."

"I know that now," said Leo with a laugh. "So, what's the second thing you want to ask me?"

"Did you finish Karai off?" Raph inquired. "I know you went to see her, Leo. It usually doesn't take you long to get food and supplies. So, out with it. What happened?"

"Well, I did fight Karai and beat her," Leo began. "She wanted me to finish her off, but I didn't do it."

"Why not, Leo?" Raph demanded. 'After all she put us through, she deserves to die. Are you in love with her, or something?"

"No, I'm not," Leo told him. "I just feel that deep inside, she's not like the Shredder. I think she's just letting her anger and hate for us consume her, much like I let my anger get the best of me. But I did warn her to stay away from you guys."

"You might be right about that hate and anger stuff," mused Raph. "I think I could learn a lot from you if you'd teach me."

"I will," Leo promised. "You'll learn a lot from me. And I promise not to nag you as much."

"Well, that's a good thing," Raph teased. "I'd better mark that on the calendar." He yawned. "Well, I guess we'd better hit the sack. See you in the morning, bro."

"'Night, Raph," said Leo sleepily. As he snuggled into his sleeping bag, Leonardo had to smile. They had lost their home, but they had gained a new one. The Ancient One was right when he said that one must flow with change. Leo knew that he and his family would do that and stick together. He felt that no matter how hard things got for them, it would all work out as long as they were together. That's what family was all about. Karai could do all she wanted, but there was one thing she could never do.

She couldn't break their family because blood was truly thicker than water.

A/N: Yatta! That's Japanese for, "I did it!" I have finally finished this story. I have enjoyed writing it, but I'm glad it's over. Will there be a third part? Nope, unless they torture Leo again in the series. So, you guys know what to do. Please read and review and tell me how this chapter went. Thanks to those who have stuck with this story to the end. I truly appreciate all the feedback. Have a shelltastic day!


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